I wonder if they will come out with a split board, and maybe another improvement in reassembling the IDS, refine the adjustable bar from the first year? More light wind kite improvements are always a target. Faster turning, more low end grunt, more durability, better lines, graphics for kites...

Dave_5280 wrote:I wonder if they will come out with a split board, and maybe another improvement in reassembling the IDS, refine the adjustable bar from the first year? More light wind kite improvements are always a target. Faster turning, more low end grunt, more durability, better lines, graphics for kites...

Hi Dave_5280, have you had a chance to review and try 2014 kites yet?

1/ IDS was discontinued after 2013. Maybe you are referring to the Quicklink Loop? This is the only system in the market that has 100% fully spinning lines and leash. Plus the hook was added on the QR and it's not hard to reset anymore. 2012 was hard to reset.

2/ I'm not sure what more we could improve on the lightwind kites. The Velocity 18 is the benchmark kite for lightwind. Nothing can touch the low end. The Contra has received only rave reviews for it's turning speed, easy relaunch, light bar, etc. Contra is a "fun" lightwind kite, while Velocity is the mac daddy of power. Plus Switchblade is by far the best overall wind range with great low end and the fastest turning edition we have ever made.

3/ Durability: I'm not aware of any other kite in the market that has the durability features that we use such as two plys of material on the struts, 2DR double ripstop canopy material, thicker double ripstop on the trailing edge and wingtips, etc. I'm pretty sure that Cabrinha is know to have extremely durable kites. 10 years ago, things we different.

4/ The flying lines we use are amazing. Check out a bar that has been used in a school for one year, see what, if any, stretching there has been in those lines and how they feel in your hands. These lines are excellent quality and performance and the media agrees with us if you check out the reviews on flying lines.

Sorry if I sound a little defensive, but I just want you to know what features and performance we do currently have in 2014. 2015 will just get better!

Dave_5280 wrote:I wonder if they will come out with a split board, and maybe another improvement in reassembling the IDS, refine the adjustable bar from the first year? More light wind kite improvements are always a target. Faster turning, more low end grunt, more durability, better lines, graphics for kites...

Hi Dave_5280, have you had a chance to review and try 2014 kites yet?

1/ IDS was discontinued after 2013. Maybe you are referring to the Quicklink Loop? This is the only system in the market that has 100% fully spinning lines and leash. Plus the hook was added on the QR and it's not hard to reset anymore. 2012 was hard to reset.

2/ I'm not sure what more we could improve on the lightwind kites. The Velocity 18 is the benchmark kite for lightwind. Nothing can touch the low end. The Contra has received only rave reviews for it's turning speed, easy relaunch, light bar, etc. Contra is a "fun" lightwind kite, while Velocity is the mac daddy of power. Plus Switchblade is by far the best overall wind range with great low end and the fastest turning edition we have ever made.

3/ Durability: I'm not aware of any other kite in the market that has the durability features that we use such as two plys of material on the struts, 2DR double ripstop canopy material, thicker double ripstop on the trailing edge and wingtips, etc. I'm pretty sure that Cabrinha is know to have extremely durable kites. 10 years ago, things we different.

4/ The flying lines we use are amazing. Check out a bar that has been used in a school for one year, see what, if any, stretching there has been in those lines and how they feel in your hands. These lines are excellent quality and performance and the media agrees with us if you check out the reviews on flying lines.

Sorry if I sound a little defensive, but I just want you to know what features and performance we do currently have in 2014. 2015 will just get better!

I'm sorry to see the IDS withdrawn as I cannot see anything on the market that is as suitable for drift launching. I have a couple of 2009 IDS Crossbows which I will use until they wear out, and bought a 2013 Switchblade because the IDS was being withdrawn.

It so happens that drift launching suits where I want to do most of my kiting. Self launching and landing is very safe using the IDS Crossbows for drift launching and they are very simple and safe to pack down by reversing the drift launch.

I can understand that the LE shape needed to make the IDS work properly limited designs and Cabrinha deciding to abandon two front line flagging completely to keep everything compatable, but I think the IDS LW Crossbow or something similar deserves to survive, as it would be my recommendation for any of my windsurf friends that want to take up kiting in the same area as I think suits drift launching (which is also where they mostly windsurf).

It could be a Contra, Crossbow or Switchblade in about 17m, but because in light winds they would often be kiting alone and would want one kite and one board to kite in light wind and windsurf when it was windier, such a kite would solve my problem of what to advise them to get. The kite would have to drop completely onto it's back by itself every time when flagged in deep water without swimming toward it to qualify as a fully functioning IDS kite.

I agree that flagging to one front line in a real emergency is a bit safer, but because of the extra safety when drift launching with a fully functioning IDS kite, I consider overall I am safer with the IDS and it is more convenient.

Dave_5280 wrote:I wonder if they will come out with a split board, and maybe another improvement in reassembling the IDS, refine the adjustable bar from the first year? More light wind kite improvements are always a target. Faster turning, more low end grunt, more durability, better lines, graphics for kites...

Hi Dave_5280, have you had a chance to review and try 2014 kites yet?

1/ IDS was discontinued after 2013. Maybe you are referring to the Quicklink Loop? This is the only system in the market that has 100% fully spinning lines and leash. Plus the hook was added on the QR and it's not hard to reset anymore. 2012 was hard to reset.

2/ I'm not sure what more we could improve on the lightwind kites. The Velocity 18 is the benchmark kite for lightwind. Nothing can touch the low end. The Contra has received only rave reviews for it's turning speed, easy relaunch, light bar, etc. Contra is a "fun" lightwind kite, while Velocity is the mac daddy of power. Plus Switchblade is by far the best overall wind range with great low end and the fastest turning edition we have ever made.

3/ Durability: I'm not aware of any other kite in the market that has the durability features that we use such as two plys of material on the struts, 2DR double ripstop canopy material, thicker double ripstop on the trailing edge and wingtips, etc. I'm pretty sure that Cabrinha is know to have extremely durable kites. 10 years ago, things we different.

4/ The flying lines we use are amazing. Check out a bar that has been used in a school for one year, see what, if any, stretching there has been in those lines and how they feel in your hands. These lines are excellent quality and performance and the media agrees with us if you check out the reviews on flying lines.

Sorry if I sound a little defensive, but I just want you to know what features and performance we do currently have in 2014. 2015 will just get better!

So far I'm extremely happy with my 2014 SB's. I have an 8m, 11m and 14m - they perform as advertised and the improvements compared to my last quiver of 2012's are definitely noticeable. The one minor disappointment is that the 2014 bars do not float (at least in fresh water), even though advertised as so. The extra hardware needed for the adjustable bar ends is the likely culprit. Again, minor, but nice not to have to fish your bar out of 3 feet of water when you dump it to grab your kite at end of your session. Hopefully Cabrinha is aware and plans to correct in future versions.

That Quicklink looks exactly like 2012 IDS, with a new name, but I understand it works differently. I still like the 2012 version/ IDS.

But that is kind of what I was thinking about, Cabrinha is always improving things each year even if it's on things not having problems. I suppose with technology, things like durability and reducing weight (as on the light wind models) can always improve. Also the marketing messages repeat each year about the improvements so those were the ones I mentioned. I can't believe this year will be different but we will see.

You didn't mention a split board so I'm guessing there must be one coming.

I love my 2014 SBs but the Cabrinha 1X Overdrive quick link system sucks ass in a major way. You can forget about trying to reset it if you are in water and have any pull from the wind on the flagged out kite. I even e-mailed Cabrinha about how difficult it was and their direct quote was "It was not made to reset in water..." Blew me away with this statement. Anyway... the kite is awesome.

And as far as the lines spinning well that's a joke too. They may spin but they do not un-spin on their own. From day one I have had to un-spin the lines by hand after every single loop.